1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fragments for ordnance items and more particularly to a reactive fragment adapted to release both chemical and mechanical energy upon impact with the target. ordnance
2. Description of the Prior Art
The three primary parameters which can be manipulated to improve the performance of conventional warheads are (1) Explosive efficiency, (2) Warhead geometry, and (3) Kill mechanism. Of these parameters, it is the third, Kill mechanism, which appears at the present time to offer the greatest potential for upgrading warhead performance. In the past, considerable ingenuity has been directed toward designs which will control fragment size for warheads and other ordance items. Against soft targets, such as aircraft, trucks and electronic equipment, conventional fragments can easily pass through the target with no damage beyond entrance and exit perforations. In fact, in such an encounter, only a small percentage of a fragment momentum is transmitted to the target. Steel fragments have been demonstrated to produce blast-type damage only at very high impact velocity (above 10,000 feet/sec.). Since conventional warheads produce fragment velocities in the range of 2,000 to 6,000 feet/sec., this type of blast damage is not readily available with conventional fragments.